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Good morning!
Here’s what we’re covering today:
Fort Walton Beach commits to splitting the ‘Around the Mound’ design costs with Okaloosa County, positioning the project for state funding. Meanwhile, the city welcomes Dennis Reeves as interim city manager, approves school zone speed cameras, and plans golf course renovations. At Fort Walton Beach High, a teacher receives the nation’s highest honor, while Hurlburt Field reminds residents about drone restrictions.
- TODAY: Hurlburt Field will be conducting explosive demolition training between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. During the training, nearby residents may hear loud noise or feel the vibrations associated with the demolition charge detonations that are planned to occur periodically throughout the day. Base officials advise if the humidity is high or if there is cloud coverage, the effects can seem louder and closer than on clear days.
POLITICS
Fort Walton Beach Council appoints former councilman Dennis Reeves as interim city manager
Former Fort Walton Beach City Councilman Dennis Reeves will serve as interim city manager following a 6-1 vote by the city council Tuesday night to fill the position being vacated by Jeff Peters.
- The council’s decision came after lengthy discussion about the selection process and a failed motion to have City Attorney Kim Kopp temporarily fill the role until February 11.
Councilman David Schmidt’s initial motion to appoint Kopp received support from Councilmen Bryce Jeter and Nic Allegretto but failed in a 4-3 vote.
The council then voted 6-1, with Allegretto dissenting, to appoint Reeves for a 90-day term that could be extended to 180 days or until a permanent city manager is hired.
- Peters, who accepted a position with the county, will leave his post on January 24 after council members approved his request to waive the 60-day notice requirement in his contract.
Several candidates expressed interest in the interim position, including former Destin City Manager Lance Johnson, who attended Tuesday’s meeting and indicated he would consider the permanent position if offered.
The council’s discussion centered largely on whether to appoint someone interested in the permanent position. Councilman Travis Smith cited advice from a former councilman suggesting interim managers often become permanent, potentially discouraging other qualified candidates from applying.
- “I don’t want somebody to not apply for the job because they think whoever is in that interim position is already in the catbird seat to that job,” Smith said.
Allegretto, the lone dissenting vote, expressed concerns about the rapid appointment process.
“We’re not offering the opportunity at all to the public to anyone that’s interested to be the city manager on an interim basis,” Allegretto said. “Mr. Reeves himself said he didn’t know about it until this morning when he received a phone call from members of the community.”
When Councilman Jeter asked if Reeves would still be interested in serving as interim manager if the decision was delayed two weeks, Reeves expressed uncertainty.
- “I came as more of a service because I wanted to give you guys the opportunity,” Reeves said. “I really don’t know if I want to come back and do it again next week or two weeks after Ms. Kopp makes a decision.”
Reeves, who previously served on council for 6 years and is listed as the chairman of The Watch Group, emphasized he was only interested in serving temporarily. “I have no interest in the long term,” he said. “I came tonight because I thought we were going to make a decision. I didn’t really have to think about whether I wanted to put myself out on the line with all the social media scrutiny.”
The city charter requires the council to hire a permanent city manager within 180 days.
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SCHOOL
Fort Walton Beach High School’s Jacqueline Sheffield receives nation’s top teaching honor
Jacqueline Sheffield, a veteran mathematics teacher at Fort Walton Beach High School, has been named a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).
- President Joe Biden announced Sheffield as one of 336 recipients of the PAEMST and Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring on Jan. 13.
Sheffield, who has taught mathematics for 28 years, including 24 years at Fort Walton Beach High School, teaches Algebra 2 Honors and Advanced Placement Statistics. Before joining Fort Walton Beach High School, she taught at Davidson Middle School.
“Jacqueline Sheffield’s commitment to her students and her profession is truly inspiring,” said Superintendent Marcus Chambers. “Her distinction as a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching reflects her unwavering dedication to academic excellence and her ability to inspire a love of learning in her students.”
The PAEMST, established in 1983, recognizes K-12 mathematics and science teachers who demonstrate deep content knowledge, exceptional teaching ability, and dedication to improving STEM education. Recipients undergo a rigorous selection process, evaluated by panels of distinguished mathematicians, scientists, and educators at state and national levels.
- Award recipients receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation and will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
“We are incredibly proud to have her as part of our Okaloosa family and thank her for her positive impact on countless students over the years,” Chambers added.
MILITARY
Hurlburt Field reminds residents of 5-mile ‘no drone zone’
Military officials at Hurlburt Field are reminding local residents that flying drones within 5 miles of the base is illegal, citing flight safety concerns.
- The 1st Special Operations Wing issued the notice to community members, emphasizing that the base is located within controlled airspace where unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations are not permitted.
Base officials directed drone enthusiasts to consult the Federal Aviation Administration website for comprehensive information about drone registration requirements, public safety guidelines, and airspace restrictions.
The base stated that no exceptions will be made for recreational drone pilots, as Hurlburt Field’s airspace will remain restricted for UAS operations.
PARKS+REC
Fort Walton Beach to renovate 18-hole Pines Golf Course
The Fort Walton Beach City Council approved a $613,710 project Tuesday to renovate all 18 greens at the Pines Course of the Fort Walton Beach Golf Club.
- The project, funded primarily through Tourist Development Council (TDC) money, will replace greens that currently contain five to six different types of grass, making consistent chemical treatment difficult, according to City Manager Jeff Peters.
“They’ll dig out about six to eight inches, fumigate everything to start fresh, bring in new field dirt, and then sprig it to let it grow into place. When that’s done, they’ll be immaculate,” Peters explained during the council meeting.
King Villages Landscaping & Golf Construction Inc. of Gainesville submitted the lowest bid among five companies vying for the project. Construction is scheduled to begin in early March with completion of sprigs expected by early May.
During the six-month renovation period, the course will remain open with temporary greens to maintain revenue flow. The project includes renovating the large practice green near the clubhouse.
Councilman Travis Smith, who voted against the measure, argued that while he supports improving the course, he believes it should be self-sustaining.
- “I think that we need to do a full rate study out there and bring this thing up to market,” Smith said. “If the golf course was self sustaining, we could spend this TDC money somewhere else. We just saw that Eglin closed nine holes of its golf course. Now that’s going to do is push more traffic towards our golf course.”
The project will be funded with $584,000 from the FY 2024-25 TDC Fund, with the remaining $29,710 coming from the Half Cent Fund Balance. Current non-member rates at the course are $52 per round, while members pay $28, according to Peters.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Fort Walton Beach approves all-day speed cameras in school zones
The Fort Walton Beach City Council unanimously approved implementing photo speed enforcement cameras that will operate during entire school days rather than just during arrival and dismissal periods, following a presentation from Police Chief Robert Bage at Tuesday’s meeting.
- The automated system will issue citations to drivers exceeding the speed limit by 11 mph or more in school zones.
During school zone hours when beacons are flashing, tickets will be issued at 26 mph in 15 mph zones and 36 mph in 25 mph zones. Outside beacon times but during school hours, citations will be based on the regular posted speed limit plus 11 mph.
“We would hope that we don’t write the first speeding ticket,” Bage said. “I would hope that during the warning period and the educational period, when people know that there’s a repercussion for speeding through the school zones, that nobody speeds through a school.”
Before issuing citations, the city must conduct a 30-day educational campaign with warnings only. The program carries no upfront costs, with funding coming from the $100 citations. Revenue will be split with $39 going to the city, $21 to the vendor Red Speed, $12 to the school board, $5 to crossing guard programs, $3 for law enforcement training, and $20 to state general revenue.
- Recent traffic studies identified eight school zones exceeding 200 violations per day, including St. Mary’s Catholic School, Silver Sands, Edwins, Fort Walton Beach High School, Bruner, and Choctaw. Elliott Point recorded 192 violations.
Councilman Bryce Jeter supported all-day enforcement, citing varied student schedules. “100% [this] needs to be all day long because if you volunteer at a school or like you said, your daughter goes late, checks out early…between doctor’s appointments, mom’s volunteering,” Jeter said. “I’ve personally seen cars speed during the day and there’s a kid crossing the road at 11 o’clock.”
While Councilman Travis Smith initially questioned the program’s necessity, he ultimately supported it after hearing about speeding complaints from Councilwoman Gloria Deberry near Silver Sands and Fort Walton Beach High School.
Under the contract with Red Speed, the city can terminate the program with notice and faces no equipment removal fees. Police maintain final approval authority over all citations.
According to Bage’s research, Maryland saw a 39% decrease in speeding violations after implementing full-day enforcement, while Washington D.C. reported a 30% drop in injury crashes near cameras after one year.
TRAFFIC
Fort Walton Beach approves agreement with Okaloosa for ‘Around the Mound’ design funding
The Fort Walton Beach City Council unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with Okaloosa County Tuesday night to jointly fund the design phase of the “Around the Mound” traffic project, with each entity committing $675,000 in matching funds.
- The agreement enables the city to apply for a competitive Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP) grant that would cover half of the $2.7 million design costs, Growth Management Director Christopher Frassetti told council members.
“This could substantially speed up the process,” Frassetti said. “Currently it’s not funded in the five-year program with FDOT for design.”
Councilman Travis Smith said the project could advance by 18 to 24 months if the grant is approved. “This is a once in a lifetime deal that we got right here,” Smith said. “According to both [FDOT and TPO], it’s very unheard of to advance a project.”
The project aims to increase capacity on US 98 and address existing and future traffic issues through downtown Fort Walton Beach. A Project Development & Environmental study is currently underway, with a preferred route alternative expected to be selected in November 2025.
- Councilwoman Gloria DeBerry noted both local military base commanders support the project. “They’ll do whatever they can to help us eliminate or reduce the traffic flow, especially on Hurlburt,” she said.
If the grant is approved, design work could begin in 2026. The city and county also plan to pursue additional funding through Safe Streets and Roads for All grants that could potentially cover their required matches.
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